Simulation of Grade Sensors for Truck Transmission Controllers (Off Highway Application)

The use of 3-axis industrial accelerometers in transmission controllers is prevalent in off-road vehicle applications. To evaluate the performance of heavy vehicles on various grades, simulation is essential prior to actual vehicle testing. This study proposes simulating the grade sensor integrated into the transmission controller using SPI communication and 3-axis industrial accelerometer models on an FPGA. The 3-axis industrial accelerometer, a sensor utilized in truck applications, identifies the x-y-z position and determines the gradient. This sensor is part of the vehicle's transmission controller, which is mounted on the transmission controller PCB. As the vehicle moves and tilts, the sensor calculates the vehicle's gradient. To test software functionality across multiple grades, the ECU typically needs to be physically moved to various grades on vehicle test tracks with different gradients. This proposal aims to replicate test track grades in a lab setting using a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) environment. This can be achieved through sensor simulation and communication with the microcontroller of the transmission controller. The advantage of this methodology is the ability to test the vehicle at different grades within a lab environment, potentially reducing the need for extensive and expensive vehicle testing for software features.